Book match dispenser

ABSTRACT

A Lazy Susan type dispenser wherein book matches are top loaded in vertical dispensing magazines spaced about the center of a rotary body. A dispensing slot at the bottom of each magazine limits withdrawal to a single book of matches at a time, while a removable cover nonrotatably carried by the body discourages unauthorized removal of books of matches from the top of the magazines.

United States Patent 1 Marquardt BOOK MATCH DISPENSER [76] Inventor: Delbert C. Marquardt, 1506 Laura,

Wichita, Kans. 67211 [22] Filed: Mar. 1, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 230,657

[52] US. Cl. ..312/97.1, 312/125, 312/252 [51] Int. Cl ..A47f 1/00 [58] Field ofSearch ..221/194,119,113;

206/45.15, 31, 56 R, 56 AC, 56 A; 211/49 D; 312/97.1, 59,125,135, 202, 252, 305, 42

11 3,733,112 1 May 15, 1973 1,675,814 7/1928 Marbury 211/49 D 1,913,231 6/1933 Carlstedt et al. ....312/97.1 1,980,819 11/1934 Nelson ....3l2/97.1 2,268,688 1/1942 Andrews ..221/119 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Primary Examiner-James T. McCall Attorney- Robert E. Breidenthal [57] ABSTRACT A Lazy Susan type dispenser wherein book matches are top loaded in vertical dispensing magazines spaced about the center of a rotary body. A dispensing slot at the bottom of each magazine limits withdrawal to a single book of matches at a time, while a removable cover nonrotatably carried by the body discourages unauthorized removal of books of matches from the top of the magazines.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Italy ..312/97.1

PATENTEB MAY 1 51975 SHEET 1 OF 2 PATENTED HAY] 5l973 SHEET 2 BF 2 1 BOOK MATCH DISPENSER The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in Lazy Susan type dispensers and more particularly pertains to such type dispenser especially well suited for placement at the cashiers position in restaurants, bars and the like for the free distribution to customers of a single book of matches at a time coupled with making an effective display of advertising on the dispenser to such customer.

Lazy Susan type dispensers have long been known and those unacquainted with them may desire to acquire a background understanding by referring to U. S. Pat. No. 687,119, entitled Match Safe, which issued to Cage, Nov. 19, 1901; U. S. Pat. No. 1,140,822, entitled Sugar Container, which issued to Hirshfeld, May 25, 1915; and U. S. Pat. No. 1,675,814, entitled Cigarette Package Dispenser, which issued to Marbury, July 3, 1928.

The paramount object of the instant invention is to provide an attractive book match dispenser for the display of advertising which will make it difficult for a person to remove inconspicuously more than a single book of matches from the dispenser at a time and yet which can be readily loaded by servicing personnel and from which a single book of matches can be easily removed.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a dispenser of great durability and which can be made at a low cost.

Still another important object of the invention is to provide a dispenser in accordance with the preceding objects which readily lends itself to manufacture of a few easily assembled injection molded parts.

A broad aspect of the invention involves a Lazy Susan type dispenser for book matches and the like comprising a frustrum, constituting a base, an upstanding body rotatably mounted centrally on the top of the base, said body having a vertical axis of rotation and being provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced vertically extending openings therein that open through the upper end of said body and which openings are each of constant transverse configuration throughout their vertical extent, said body including as an integral part thereof a flat bottom wall at its lower end closing said vertically extending openings at the lower end of said body, said bottom wall resting upon and also slidably engaging the top of the base during rotation of the body, said body and said bottom wall being provided, in association with each of said openings, with an L-shaped slot of lesser circumferential extent than said opening that extends vertically from the top of the body downwardly to said bottom wall and thence radially inwardly in said bottom wall, said slot having its vertical extent disposed radially outward from the opening, said slot throughout its extent opening from said opening to the exterior of said body, said slot being circumferentially enlarged for a vertical interval relatively small compared to the vertical height of the body, said slot enlargement being coincident with said bottom wall and extending upwardly from the latter, said bottom wall having greater transverse dimensions than the top of the frustrum whereby the bottom wall projects radially outward from the frustrum, a cover removably seated on the body, said cover comprising a top wall overlying the body with such top wall having about its periphery a depending skirt surrounding the body, said skirt having a lower edge that is vertically spaced above the bottom wall of the body, and means for preventing rotation of the cover when the latter is seated on the body.

The invention will be most readily appreciated on consideration of the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, such description being given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the dispenser with hidden details being shown in dashed outline;

FIG. 2 is an exploded isometric view of the dispenser with each distinct integral part being shown apart from the other parts, and with hidden details being shown in dashed outline;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the dispenser with hidden parts shown in dashed outline;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken upon the plane of the section line 4-4 in FIG. 1; and,

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the plane of the section line 5-5 in FIG. 4.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the various views, the numeral 10 designates the book match dispenser generally.

The dispenser 10 is fabricated of four separate parts, each suitable for being separately made by injection molding techniques of synthetic resins or the like that readily lend themselves to such low cost per unit cost such as, for example, high density polyethylene, acrylic butyl (which can be unpigmented and transparent if desired or pigmented with any desired color), nylon, and the like. Polyethylene can incorporate any color or dye as may suit the taste of the ultimate consumer.

The four separate integral parts mentioned above comprise a base, pedestal, or a frustrum-like configuration 12 (such frustrum 12 including an integral, centrally upstanding pivot port 14 of cylindrical configuration); a body 16 rotatably supported on the frustrum 12 for rotation about the pivot 14; an interconnecting piece 18 that becomes effectively an integral part of the body 16 on assembly by having a press fit therewith as subsequently described; and a cover 20 removably received on the top of the body and nonrotatably interlocking with an upstanding portion 22 of noncircular horizontal section (specifically square section).

The base 12 is in the form of a hollow frustrum and comprises a frusto-conical wall 22 having its major end lowermost, and its upper end closed by a horizontal flat wall 24 from which centrally extends upwardly and integrally the pivot post 14.

The body 16 is comprised of two pairs of parallel spaced vertical walls, one pair of such walls being indicated at 26 and 28 and the other pair of such walls being designated at 30 and 32. The pairs of walls are symmetrically disposed relative to the central vertical axis 34 of the body 16 and of the entire device 10, the walls 30 and 32 at right angles and all of such walls are integral at their four intersections or junctures such as indicated at 36, 38, 40 and 42.

The walls 26, 28, 30 and 32 terminate in common upper and lower horizontal planes as clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, and a flat horizontal bottom wall 44 is integral with the lower edges of the walls 26, 28, 30 and 32 and except as otherwise described entirely underlies the spaces between the walls of each pair. A portion 46 of the wall 44 underlies the space 48 that is common to the spaces between the walls of each pair of walls,

and portions 50 and 52 underlie spaces 54 and 56 between the walls 26 and 28 outside of and on the opposite sides of the central space 48. Similarly, bottom wall portions 58 and 60 respectively underlie spaces 62 and 64.

The central bottom wall portion 46 has a central opening 66 that is surrounded by an upstanding integral tube or circular boss 68 that serves as a bearing for rotatably receiving the pivot post 14 that rotatably extends through the opening 66. With the bottom wall rotatably resting upon the top wall 24 of the frustrum 12, the pivot 14 and the annular bearing or boss 68 are coterminous at their upper extremities.

As shown, the spaces 54, 62, 56 and 64 are equally spaced circumferentially about the axis 34, and are open at the top of the body 16. Such spaces constitute vertical magazines for vertically stacked book matches such as the book match shown at 70 and are filled from the top as replenishment of supply is necessary.

The body 16 is provided in relation to each magazine or space 54, 56, 62, and 64 with what amounts to an L- shaped slot, the major vertical extent of which 72 (in the case of the space 56) is defined by the spacing between the free adjacent vertical edges of a pair of flanges 74 and 76 integral with and at the outer vertical extremities of the walls 26 and 28, and the horizontal extent 78 of which is a rectangular notch 80 in the bottom wall portion 52 as clearly shown in FIG. 5.

The notch 80 or short horizontal slot portion 78 is of the same width as the vertical extent of the flanges 74 and 76 and is of short radial extent to terminate preferably spaced from the wall 32.

The flanges 74 and 76 have their lower ends 82 spaced above the bottom wall portion 52 as clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 so that the vertical slot 72 is of relatively greater width immediately adjacent and above the bottom wall portion 52 with the enlarged vertical extent 84 of the slot 72 being approximately the same as and slightly greater than the thickness of the book of matches 70 so that only one book of matches (the lowermost in the space 56) can be horizontally withdrawn through the slot portion 84. The flanges 74 and 76 prevent withdrawal of all but the lowermost of the stack of match books in the space 56. It will be noted that the match books of the extremely common and so-called gopher type are stacked in the space so that the longitudinal extent of all the matches are essentially horizontal and perpendicular to the walls 26 and 28, with successive books of matches in a vertical stack having their heads alternately directed toward first the wall 26 and then the wall 28 and so on. Preferably also the books of matches 70 are disposed in the space 56 so that the short fold (on which is normally placed the layer of striking surface material) is uppermost as shown in FIG. 1.

It is also to be noted that (as clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 4) the juncture 90 of the slot portions 78 and 84 is spaced radially outward from the top wall 24 of the frustrum l2 and above the portion of the frusto-conical wall 22 directly below the same whereby a person can by the use of the fingertips (not shown) easily seize and withdraw the lowermost one (and only one) of the book matches stacked in the magazine or space 56. The horizontal dimensions of the magazine or space are somewhat larger than the corresponding dimensions of the match book 70, but preferably only so much larger as is necessary for easy refilling or reloading the same with a stack of book matches.

Such loading is accomplished by grasping between the fingertips a stack of book matches and lowering them into the magazine 56. The spacing of the flanges 74 and 76 and the slot portion 78 enables the finger grip to be retained until the stack has been lowered to rest on the wall portion 52 as will be readily understood.

It will be appreciated that each of the spaces or magazines 54, 56, 62 and 64 are identically provided with slots such as described above in connection with magazine 56, so further description thereof is not necessary.

Noting that the flanges 74 and 76 do not overlie the bottom wall 44, it will be obvious that the entire body 16 can be formed in final form as a single injection molded article.

The member 18 has a lower relatively enlarged portion 91 of square configuration and this portion 91 is press fitted into the upper end of the central opening or space 46. The upper end portion 92 of the member 18 is relatively reduced and is also of square transverse configuration as shown. The member 18, which is preferably hollow and open at its lower end as shown in FIG. 4, can obviously be made by injection molding techniques. It is a simple matter to press fit or drive the member 18 into the top of the body 16.

The cover 20 includes a frusto-conical top wall 94 that has a depending peripheral skirt or flange 96 of cylindrical configuration. The central portion 98 of the top wall 94 is of solid circular cylindrical configuration and has a bottom side surface 100 that intersects the frusto-conical lower surface 102 of the wall 94, with such central portion 98 extending upwardly as shown in FIG. 4 to define a cylindrical finger gripping surface 104 whereby the cover 20 can be turned. Torque exerted on the cover 20 does not cause the cover 20 to rotate upon the body 16 by reason of the reduced upper end portion 92 of the member 18 being slidably but now rotatably received in a correspondingly shaped recess 106 in the bottom center of the portion 98 of the cover 20. It will be evident that when the cover 20 is seated on the body 16 with the portion 92 of the member 18 received in the cover recess 106, a torque imposed by the fingers (not shown) of a user will cause the body 16 and the cover 20 to rotate in unison upon the supporting base or frustrum to successively and cyclically position or direct the spaces or magazines 62, 56, 64 and 54 toward the user. In this manner, the user may readily position one of such magazines toward himself that has not already been emptied.

The diameter of the cover 20 is preferably substantially less than that of the base or frustrum in the interest of stability. It will be manifest that stability can be further increased if desired or deemed expedient by securing the frustrum by any suitable means, not shown, to a supporting surface, such as by an adhesive, rivet or a threaded fastener means.

The internal diameter of the cover skirt 96 is preferably greater than the maximum radius of the body 16 as best shown in FIG. 5, and the vertical extent of the skirt 96 is preferably greater than the maximum radius of the body 16 as best shown in FIG. 5, and the vertical extent of the skirt 96 is such that the exterior thereof has a substantial area for the display of advertising thereon, and also so that the cover 20 must be raised a substantial amount before it can be completely removed from the body 16 as is virtually absolutely necessary before it is possible to remove match books from the magazines through the open upper ends of the latter. Such substantial upward movement of the cover cannot be effected in an inconspicuous manner with the result that the cost of furnishing book matches to customers or patrons free can be greatly reduced as few if any patrons will be able to take (at least under the eye of an alert waiter, cashier, bartender, or the like) more than one book of matches at a time.

While the cover skirt 96 has a vertical height sufficient to display advertising and discourage rapacious or excessive taking of book matches, the skirt 96 terminates at its lower end an interval about the lower ends of the magazines as shown sufficient that a patron can readily see if a magazine is empty or not.

Incidentally, it will be manifest that replacement of the cover 20 on the body 16 and the member is facilitated by reason of the frusto-conical surface 102 tending to guide the member 18 into or toward the recess 106.

If the cover skirt 96 is of a material such as high density polyethylene that is in an untreated condition poorly suited to the attachment or painting of advertising thereon, the external surface is treated in any suitable manner known in the art suitable to overcome this difficulty. For example, the surface of polyethylene can be flameproof whereupon ads can be readily placed thereon such as by silk screen painting processes and the like.

It will be noted that the entire external surface of the cover 20 as well as the upper peripheral marginal surface of the base or frustrum 12 can be used for advertising and such surfaces are preferably treated as described above to readily accept paint, decals, and the like in a durable fashion.

It will also be evident that the placement of advertising on the device or dispenser is especially effective because the user focuses his attention on the device 10 to locate and ascertain if a magazine has a match book therein and for the further reason the device 10 can be and most often will be at a point of purchase location (at the cashier's station, on a tavern bar, etc.) so that the likelihood of impulse buying is maximized.

Attention is now directed to the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A Lazy Susan type dispenser for book matches and the like comprising a frustrum constituting a base, an upstanding body rotatably mounted centrally on the top of the base, said body having a vertical axis of rotation and being provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced vertically extending openings therein that open through the upper end of said body and which openings are each of constant transverse configuration throughout their vertical extent, said body including as an integral part thereof a flat bottom wall at its lower end closing said vertically extending openings at the lower end of said body, said bottom wall resting upon and also slidably engaging the top of the base during rotation of the body, said body and said bottom wall being provided, in association with each of said openings, with an L-shaped slot of lesser circumferential extent than said opening that extends vertically from the top of the body downwardly to said bottom wall and thence radially inwardly in said bottom wall, said slot having its vertical extent disposed radially outward from the opening, said slot throughout its extent opening from said opening to the exterior of said body, said slot being circumferentially enlarged for a vertical interval relatively small compared to the vertical height of the body, said slot enlargement being coincident with said bottom wall and extending upwardly from the latter, said bottom wall having greater transverse di mensions than the top of the base whereby the bottom wall projects radially outward from the base, a cover removably seated on the body, said cover comprising a top wall overlying the body with such top wall having about its periphery an integral depending skirt surrounding the body, said skirt having a lower edge that is vertically spaced above the bottom wall of the body, and means for preventing rotation of the cover relative to the body when the fomier is seated on the body.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said body includes first and second identical pairs of spaced vertical walls, with the walls of each pair having a spacing substantially less than the transverse extent of such walls, each of said pairs of walls having said vertical axis of the body as an axis of symmetry, said first and second pairs of walls intersecting each other at right angles and being integral with each other at their intersections whereby said vertical openings are partially defined by spaces between the walls of each pair of walls that are not common to both of said pairs of walls.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein an axially extending central opening is defined in said body by space between the walls of each pair of walls that is common to both the first and second pairs of walls, a member disposed in said central opening adjacent the upper end of said body, said means for preventing rotation of the cover relative to the body comprising said cover and said member being provided with coacting and slidably mating male and female means.

4. The combination of claim 3, wherein said member is press fitted in said central opening.

5. The combination of claim 2, wherein an axially extending central opening is defined in said body by space between the walls of each pair of walls that is common to both the first and second pair of walls, said bottom wall including an integral portion closing the lower end of said central opening, and wherein said portion of the bottom wall and the frustrum are provided with means for rotatably mounting the body on the frustrum.

6. The combination of claim 5, wherein the means for rotatably mounting the body on the frustrum comprises said frustrum having an integral and centrally disposed upstanding pivot post, and said portion of the bottom wall having an opening therein removably and rotatably receiving said pivot post.

7. The combination of claim 1, wherein the top wall of the cover is provided with finger gripping means, whereby the cover and the body can be rotated in unison on the base.

8. The combination of claim 5, wherein said last means comprises said portion of the bottom wall having a circular opening therethrough, and said bottom wall having an upstanding annular boss integral therewith disposed about the circular opening and jointly with the latter rotatably receiving an upstanding pivot post that is integral with the frustrum. 

1. A Lazy Susan type dispenser for book matches and the like comprising a frustrum constituting a base, an upstanding body rotatably mounted centrally on the top of the base, said body having a vertical axis of rotation and being provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced vertically extending openings therein that open through the upper end of said body and which openings are each of constant transverse configuration throughout their vertical extent, said body including as an integral part thereof a flat bottom wall at its lower end closing said vertically extending openings at the lower end of said body, said bottom wall resting upon and also slidably engaging the top of the base during rotation of the body, said body and said bottom wall being provided, in association with each of said openings, with an L-shaped slot of lesser circumferential extent than said opening that extends vertically from the top of the body downwardly to said bottom wall and thence radially inwardly in said bottom wall, said slot having its vertical extent disposed radially outward from the opening, said slot throughout its extent opening from said opening to the exterior of said body, said slot being circumferentially enlarged for a vertical interval relatively small compared to the vertical height of the body, said slot enlargement being coincident with said bottom wall and extending upwardly from the latter, said bottom wall having greater transverse dimensions than the top of the base whereby the bottom wall projects radially outward from the base, a cover removably seated on the body, said cover comprising a top wall overlying the body with such top wall having about its periphery an integral depending skirt surrounding the body, said skirt having a lower edge that is vertically spaced above the bottom wall of the body, and means for preventing rotation of the cover relative to the body when the former is seated on the body.
 2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said body includes first and second identical pairs of spaced vertical walls, with the walls of each pair having a spacing substantially less than the transverse extent of such walls, each of said pairs of walls having said vertical axis of the body as an axis of symmetry, said first and second pairs of walls intersecting each other at right angles and being integral with each other at their intersections whereby said vertical openings are partially defined by spaces between the walls of each pair of walls that are not common to both of said pairs of walls.
 3. The combination of claim 2, wherein an axially extending central opening is defined in said body by space between the walls of each pair of walls that is common to both the first and second pairs of walls, a member disposed in said centraL opening adjacent the upper end of said body, said means for preventing rotation of the cover relative to the body comprising said cover and said member being provided with coacting and slidably mating male and female means.
 4. The combination of claim 3, wherein said member is press fitted in said central opening.
 5. The combination of claim 2, wherein an axially extending central opening is defined in said body by space between the walls of each pair of walls that is common to both the first and second pair of walls, said bottom wall including an integral portion closing the lower end of said central opening, and wherein said portion of the bottom wall and the frustrum are provided with means for rotatably mounting the body on the frustrum.
 6. The combination of claim 5, wherein the means for rotatably mounting the body on the frustrum comprises said frustrum having an integral and centrally disposed upstanding pivot post, and said portion of the bottom wall having an opening therein removably and rotatably receiving said pivot post.
 7. The combination of claim 1, wherein the top wall of the cover is provided with finger gripping means, whereby the cover and the body can be rotated in unison on the base.
 8. The combination of claim 5, wherein said last means comprises said portion of the bottom wall having a circular opening therethrough, and said bottom wall having an upstanding annular boss integral therewith disposed about the circular opening and jointly with the latter rotatably receiving an upstanding pivot post that is integral with the frustrum. 